Alpha-difluoromethylornithine as a postcoitally effective antifertility agent in female rats.
Intraperitoneal injection of alpha-difluoromethylornithine (DFMO) at a dose of 200 mg/kg, twice a day, during days 4-7 of pregnancy caused inhibition of embryogenesis in rats. These animals did not deliver any pups at term. However, there was no effect of DFMO on pregnant rats following treatment during day 1-3 of pregnancy. It was observed that DFMO completely abolished ornithine decarboxylase levels in the pregnant uterus. The action of DFMO appears to be due to the inhibition of putrescine and polyamines during a critical period of early embryo development. We suggest that this drug may act as a postcoitally effective antifertility agent in females.
D000818:Animals; D003281:Contraceptives, Postcoital / Q000494:pharmacology*; D003283:Contraceptives, Postcoital, Synthetic / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000518:Eflornithine; D010064:Embryo Implantation; D004622:Embryo, Mammalian / Q000187:drug effects*; D005260:Female; D005945:Glutamine-Fructose-6-Phosphate Transaminase (Isomerizing) / Q000378:metabolism; D008098:Litter Size; D009952:Ornithine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology; D009955:Ornithine Decarboxylase / Q000378:metabolism; D011247:Pregnancy; D011817:Rabbits; D014599:Uterus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology*
D003281:Contraceptives, Postcoital; D003283:Contraceptives, Postcoital, Synthetic; D009952:Ornithine; D005945:Glutamine-Fructose-6-Phosphate Transaminase (Isomerizing); D009955:Ornithine Decarboxylase; D000518:Eflornithine